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Government on cloud

In 2024, Indias spending on public cloud services might reach $13.6 billion, an increase from 2020s $4.2 billion, as per insights from Statista, a market research platform. Reportedly, the leading public cloud service was the cloud application infrastructure services, with about over $4.8 billion in end-user spending in 2024. By 2025, newly created data is expected to be 175 zettabytes, a 146-fold increase in the 15 years between 2010 and 2025. The data processing and storage market is estimated to grow from $56 billion in 2020 to $90 billion by 2025, as per insights from IDC, a market research platform.

From what it is understood cloud service providers host their information technology (IT) infrastructure in data centres to provide cloud computing services to the end users. For instance, the National Informatics Centre (NIC) introduced state-of-the-art National Data Centres at NIC headquarters in Delhi, Pune, Hyderabad and Bhubaneswar and 37 small data centres at various state capitals to provide services to the government at all levels. The National Data Centres form the core of the e-governance infrastructure in India by providing services to various e-governance initiatives undertaken by the Government of India.

Boon or Bane

Governments had implemented private cloud at twice the rate of public cloud through 2021, as per insights from Gartner, a market research firm. Case in point, Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBIs) Counterterrorism Division moved its data centres to a cloud provider, it measured success in terms of how the cloud helped agents achieve their mission. By making tasks such as information sharing, data entry, and security of information easier, the transition to the cloud resulted in a 98% reduction in time spent on manual work, as per Fedscoop.

Critics argue that while public cloud growth can be healthy in government, concerns around faster adoption still stand questionable. The top three objections to public cloud in government are security or privacy issues, lack of features and concerns about vendor lock-in, among others. Reportedly, the complexity of cloud environments presents an attack surface for hackers. This includes various applications, that can lead to misconfigurations and vulnerabilities, which have made it almost too easy for a hacker to avoid detection. In 2023, about 50% of the attacks focused on defence evasion, as per insights from Aqua Nautilus 2023 Threat Report. There needs to be a balance for a successful cloud transition, advocating for a strategic approach that integrates cyber-security measures and clear governance protocol, Pallav Agarwal, founder, HTS Solutions Private Limited, a cloud computing services provider, explained, adding that policymakers also plays a role in harnessing the benefits of cloud technology while managing associated risks in the governmental context.

Above the cloud

Adopting cloud-based government can be a paradigm change that sits at the nexus of innovation and governance. However, determining whether the cloud is a benefit or a curse for the public sector becomes crucial. Ensuring the secure storage of private data on government cloud is a multifaceted consideration. The potential drawbacks involve concerns about data security and privacy, particularly when dealing with sensitive information such as identity-related data. The principles of zero trust architecture, cyber resilience, data resilience, continuous monitoring and verifying, apply aptly to cloud security, Sunil Gupta, co-founder and CEO, Yotta, a cloud infrastructure service provider, explained, adding that solutions such as artificial intelligence (AI), automation, big data powered tools and frameworks, among others are crucial in averting evolving risks.

As per several reports, the government of India developed Meghraj, a public cloud platform designed to harness the advantages of cloud computing and serve as a foundation for artificial intelligence (AI) models. It also launched Digilocker, a cloud storage platform, facilitating the storage, retrieval, and secure transfer of sensitive data and individual documents. It is believed that the governments cloud servers and their access points remain open to multiple users, both nationally and internationally, making it vulnerable to breaches. Furthermore, these servers are also targeted by hackers seeking to undermine public trust in the government and its institutions.While government-appointed engineers and consultants implement state-of-the-art technological measures and develop protocols for enhanced protection, there is a need for training and awareness programs. These initiatives need to emphasise the importance of data security, the potential threat of reputational, financial, and legal damages, and proper post-incident protocols, Arpit Sharma, senior manager, technology research and advisory, Aranca, a research, analytics, and advisory firm, concluded.

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As governments hop onto cloud does it help solve data problems? - The Financial Express